Petroleum workers union hints of industrial unrest over compensation for sacked members

The Ghanaian Petroleum industry is likely to face industrial unrest in the coming weeks if the Labour Commission continues to drag its feet on their demands for compensation in a case of dismissal brought by the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union.

The General Secretary of the Union, Alhaji Fuseini Iddrisu, in a resolution reached after the Union’s regional conference in Takoradi said the National Labour Commission has for the last three years failed to rule on the Union’s request for compensation for two of their members dismissed by ETG Ghana Limited.

According to him, the two were wrongfully sacked and ETG has refused to respect the Labour Commission’s earlier ruling for the company to reinstate the dismissed workers.

Alhaji Iddrisu further called on the Western Regional Minister to get the Labour Commission to rule on the compensation request within two weeks to avert possible industrial unrest in the Petroleum industry.

Though it is refreshing that Ghana has so far realized about US$6 billion in revenue from the Petroleum Industry since 2011, the industry is however bedevilled with concerns of unfair remuneration and dismissals among the few Ghanaians employed.

Beside the yet to be resolved compensation for the two helicopter crash survivors, the latest is the sacking of two workers of ETG Ghana, a subsidiary of Amarja, a Petroleum Industry Support service provider.

Alhaji Fuseini Iddrisu explained the steps taken by the union to address the wrongful dismissal of the two by ETG Ghana so far have proved futile.

The Union said the Labour Commission as part of its ruling directed they meet the company prior to the sacked workers’ reinstatement but the management of ETG refused to meet them hence the union went back to the Labour Commission for compensation.

When asked why the Petroleum Union is rather petitioning a Regional Minister instead of the Petroleum Commission, the Chairman of the Union, Bernard Owusu told Citi News that they have lost confidence in the regulator.

Source: Fiilafmonline/CitiNews